Things are a little, um, nutty around here, so we’re going for a very simple recipe from The Clara Project this week.
In my mind, there isn’t a better party nibble than a bowl full of homemade cocktail nuts. Apparently, this entertaining must-have hasn’t changed since the 1930s, when Clara jotted the recipe on an index card in her careful hand.
Clara’s original recipe includes two options: one for deep-frying raw nuts and then salting them, and the other for pan-roasting them in butter. The latter method is super simple … and, you know: butter + nuts.
buttered, salted cocktail nuts
2 cups whole nuts, raw and blanched (see Note)
2 tsp. unsalted butter, melted
good quality sea salt
Note: Use the freshest raw nuts you can find. I used a combination of almonds and cashews and discovered, to my dismay, that the almonds weren't especially fresh (thanks, Whole Foods), and that they didn't retain their crunch after baking. I should have used all cashews. Never a bad way to go.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees; line a baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, toss the nuts with the melted butter until well combined. Spread the nuts on the pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are evenly golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the warm nuts generously with good sea salt and let cool.
About The Clara Project
Once a week, I’ll make and share a recipe from a collection of vintage recipe cards that were written in the 1930s by Clara Shenefelt. See all the Clara Project recipes.
So glad to see this simple treat–sometimes it seems like the frequency of nut allergies these days keeps them off the cocktail circuit! I love seeing Clara’s recipes.
I like to make baked spiced nuts – heat a 13×9 pan with 2 T. organic coconut oil at 300 degrees. When oven comes up to temperature add 4 c. nuts of your choice (I use a mixture of pecans, walnuts, almonds and brazils – also use cashews sometimes, whatever I have on hand) and stir to coat with the coconut oil. Bake 25- 30 min. Remove and coat with 3 T. chili powder (the blended kind – not straight chilis), stir, adding extra salt and cayenne if desired…..However, the recipe above looks yummy too…..
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